| GCB Fanfics: The Fanfiction Project |
August 10th, 2003Preshow: "Pipe Dreams" Geno's blue cape billowed as a cold breeze whipped through the ominous factory. Grasping his pointed hat in one hand, he lept forward in a smooth, graceful motion, one that belied his frail exterior. Faint noises of wooden joints scraping against one another could be heard as possessed puppet coolly steadied his wand at the threat before him. This was his fight; the final hope for the Star Road, and for lost wishes everywhere. A glow appeared in the star rod, and slowly began to strengthen. As energy was channeled into the rod, the small flicker expanded into a vast flux of unearthly, angelic light. The force behind the vibrating weapon was now so great that no mortal could possibly hold it. Yet Geno somehow held on, a look of grim, righteous fury enveloping his chipped face. And at the point when it seemed even he could no longer grasp it, the wand exploded in an intolerable barrage of brightness. The light was almost holy, yet seethed with enormous power. Air parted before it as it shot across the dull, metal floors of the factory basement, heading faithfully and unwavering towards its target. The devastating attack brought Smithy to his knees, and sent the crown on his head clattering to the floor. But the strange entity from another dimension, responsible for the destruction of the Star Road, merely smiled as he absorbed the impact of the beam and stood once again, a confident sneer upon his face. He brought forth a chilling, metallic laugh and slowly raised an enormous hammer. Then, in one swift blow, he sent it crashing down on his anvil. The deep note this created resonated and out of nowhere, hundreds of swords materialized and began rapidly raining down on the heroes. Mario desperately tried to dodge the lethal onslaught of spinning, falling blades. Several times he misstepped and felt the flesh in his arms and legs rip open, lukewarm blood oozing out. Finally, mercifully, the attack came to an end. But the plumber's wounds were critical; he could barely move a muscle, much yet fight back in this condition. And yet, before he even had the chance to cry for help, he saw a cloud appear above his head. Cool, refreshing rain washed over him, cleansing him and healing his battered body. He saw the expected cause of this as he briefly glanced towards his right. Mallow had his arms outstretched, one hand grasping the wooden, gnarled stick that was a memento from his grandfather. Without hesitation, Mallow faced Smithy, and began to cast another spell. This was his fight as well; for his parents, his people, and to prove himself as a hero. As he raised both hands towards the air, his marshmallow body momentarily levitated. Then the prince of Nimbus brought the staff down with a fierce thrust, accompanied by a deafening bolt of lighting. Smithy was again knocked down by the massive power of the magic attack. But this time, he was no longer smirking. The pain was easy to read on his face; he was wounded and on his last legs. To his right and left, Geno and Mallow gazed at Mario expectantly. The arduous final battle had gone on long enough. The time had come to lay evil to rest. Mario gripped his Ultra Hammer in both hands, his mustached visage covered with grim determination. He advanced, slowly at first, breaking into a jog and then a dead sprint as he adjusted his weapon's awkward balance. One huge, legendary leap placed him several feet above his enemy, and he braced himself as he swung powerfully downwards, preparing to finish him off. At that point, however, something exceedingly unusual began to happen. Smithy was gradually looking less and less like Smithy. His large, metal head began to warp, shrinking and sprouting crimson spikes on the top. His body constricted upon himself, rapidly disappearing and transforming into the body of a young man clad in a blue tunic. Mario glanced at this new, katana wielding apparition in horror. Desperately, he tried to halt the downward force of his hammer before it made contact with the boy's head. But despite himself, he couldn't stop his swing. It was almost as if some unconscious desire egged him on. To his own disbelief, his lips contorted into a wicked grin as he forced the hammer harder then ever down onto Crono's unprotected head. Red liquid spouted everywhere. The young boy's head had been cleft in two, his brain left exposed under massive heaps of rapidly clotting blood. Crimson waves splattered Mario, covering him from head to toe. His grin broadened, and he brought the hammer down again and again on the boy's limp body, each strike filling him with glee. Geno stood back in shock, his face conveying far more horror and disgust then a puppet's ever should. Mallow, on the other hand, merely walked up to Mario and poked him in the ribs. Sporting a rather uncharacteristic hawain shirt and razor stubble, he calmly said, "Get up already, dammit. It's time for lunch!" Mario, giving one last mighty snore for good measure, was shaken roughly back to conciousness. The dream had been deeply disturbing for the poor plumber; he didn't wish harm towards Crono or any of his other competitors...did he? Shrugging, the plumber chalked it up to his recent despondency. For he had been nothing but despondent since his brother, then Yoshi had gone, leaving him alone in this dimension. All that remained for him now was to fight, and to win. Lost in his reflection, the plumber finally came to his senses. It seemed he had fallen asleep behind the counter at M-Mart (which was now subtitled "Luigi's Super Fun Shop of Excitement and Thrills" in memory of his bro). This was nothing unusual, as business had been quite slow lately and the plumber had nothing else to do. Also, it seemed Tommy Vercetti was poking him and asking him where the hell his lunch was. This was slightly more unusual. But the mobster had come to take a great liking to Mario's homemade pasta, and would no longer spend his afternoons anywhere else. The two certainly made a strange pair. "Get your lazy ass up Mario! Damn, you are one strange mother****er...but you make a fine Linguini. Like my mother used to, may she rest in peace." "Yeah, yeah. I'll-a get it ready," the plumber replied meekly. Vercetti was often an annoyance...but still, company was better than no company. Mario began to rummage through his Tupperware to start the meal. "So this Shadow guy," the mafioso began, sitting down at their usual table in the back, "you're fighting him tomorrow, right? "That's-a right," came the response over the clanking of pots and pans. "Well don't be damn so cool about it," Vercetti cautioned, lying back in his seat and lighting up a humongous Havana. "He's no pushover...so what's the game plan?" "Well, when I was-a cleaning the store, I found-a some old costumes!" With that, Mario lugged out a hamper of seemingly worthless clothes. Not long ago, he had considered items and other aids cheating, using them only with a great measure guilt. But after seeing the techniques other competitors used, after watching his own brother fall in battle, he realized how naive this belief had been. Right now, he felt like he needed any advantage he could get. Tommy started leafing through the old clothes. "A RACOON SUIT?!?! Mario, you are a crazy bastard, you know that?" Battle: "Open the Darkness" Between a maze and an entire racetrack, the spectators had begun to expect amazing things from the tournament's mysterious yet miraculous construction crew. And sure enough, as they filed in the stadium before the day's match they delighted at the sight that greeted them. The stadium resembled a vast obstacle course, filled with devices all too familiar to each competitor. Around the outside of the arena a track had been constructed, replete with a plethora of twists, turns, hurdles and loops. As the path got closer to the center, it became more broken, eventually leading to a series of rising platforms. Two large, floating platforms near the center of the arena clearly marked the starting places for the competitors. And in the dead center, one enormous, spiraling tower rested higher then all the others, jutting out like a sore, volcano-shaped thumb. Unlike most of the other matches, both Mario and Shadow had arrived punctually, eager to start the fight. Even now, they clambered onto their respective platforms, waiting for the signal to begin. Shadow clutched his green emerald tightly in his right fist, prepared once again to use the powers it granted him to their fullest extent. He recalled the last match he had witnessed grimly. Sonic...your performance was pathetic. Such underhanded tactics disgust me. Before I had hoped to face you, but now I see you are not worthy of challenging the ultimate life form. This plumber, however, will make a fitting victim on my path to ascension. Mario's innate skill and years of practice were evident as expertly leaped from platform to platform up towards his starting position. Wiping the sweat from his brow as he reached the correct place, he nodded his acquiescence to begin the fight. Olimar notwithstanding, this would be his first real time in action since the tournament began. And everyone expected the returning finalist to put on an impressive show. Mario's smiling face darkened briefly as he once again recalled the final moments of his Luigi's fateful match, one that had shattered many of the older brother's illusions. He only hoped that he was up to this task. Looking cockily at the plumber with unwavering eyes, Shadow returned Mario's nod with an almost imperceptible shake of the hedgehog's head. And with that, the match had begun. Mario lost no time in reaching under his cap, and pulling out a shimmering Fire Flower. His clothes turning red as he absorbed the flower's power, he again gave an almost friendly smile that seemed oddly out of place for such a serious match. But determination grew stronger then ever in his eyes. "This-a one is for my-a brother!" He shouted, releasing one red fireball after another towards his foe. Shadow jumped from platform to platform, desperately dodging the fireballs. His black, balled up form narrowly escaped from each small piece of floating land before it exploded in a tide of crimson flame. He knows I can't take advantage of my speed without a straight surface, and its taking everything I've got just to stay alive right now. No matter, there are always other methods of attack. Mario had been studying Shadow's patterns of jumping. He seemed to be circling towards the right platforms, trying to close in and attack. At the right moment, Mario sent a fireball right to where he anticipated Shadow would land. The platform, and seemingly the black hedgehog himself, promptly exploded as all the others had done. However, Mario also noticed a strange green flash... It's-a the emerald! Shadow appeared with another flash directly above his opponent. He fell downwards hard, preparing to dropkick his unsuspecting enemy. A shame, I had hoped to defeat this one without the power of the emerald. Still, sacrifices must be- He was cut off as he saw Mario anticipate the attack and respond with his flying trademark uppercut. His raised fist rang out as it made solid contact, slamming into the hedgehog's jaw. "Here we go!" he shouted, landing another hard punch with his white gloves, followed by a spinning kick that sent Shadow flying. Despite the blow dealt by his nemesis, Bowser was chortling at the recent development. "GWAHAHA! I could squash that plumber like an insect, but they send some groundhog to do the job instead!" But it was hard not to notice the koopa king unconsciously fingering his tail and glancing behind him nervously, in memories of past humiliations at the hands of the mustached marauder. Shadow had fallen a good twenty feet from the platform, and landed badly, bruising one arm. The sharp, perfect edges of the emerald had gashed the hand he held it with deeply, but he grimaced and retained his grip. The shock of the fall mirrored his own shock as he realized the power he was facing. This one can fight well, despite his naive appearance. He studied my chaos control and could anticipate its use...I guess it's time I leveled the playing field. Mario leaped down from the platform, preparing to finish off his wounded opponent. But in an amazing display of endurance, Shadow was already up and sprinting towards the edge of the arena, where the track had been constructed. Mario resolutely followed, realizing the time had come to face his enemy on unfamiliar turf. Shadow sprinted at inhuman speed around the outside of the track, running around loops and expertly jumping and weaving over the various obstacles before him. With a speed matched only by his blue counterpart, he was able to circle the entire arena in a matter of seconds. And he lost no time in doing so. Mario simply waited in the middle of the track in battle position, trying vainly to divine the path of the black streak circling the stadium. And suddenly, it was headed straight towards him. Trying to roll out of the way too slowly, Shadow slammed into him, knocking him over. Then, with a deadly combination of speed and teleportation, the dark hedgehog attacked from all sides. Mario was assailed with kicks and punches everywhere, and try as he might, could parry no more then a few. In desperation, he searched for some sort of defense. Shadow finally ceased his attack, leaving his battered enemy lying in the dust. He smirked as he saw the plumber not even attempting to get up, but comically rummage through his suspenders instead. Not one to mince words, the hedgehog advanced and prepared for victory. "As all others before you, you too have been proven unworthy. Do not worry, your defeat will be painless." That being said, he leaped into the air and unleashed a deadly spinning dash to render Mario unconscious...and promptly bounced off of him with a resounding metal pang. Mario could see only blackness as he ducked, his head retracted inside a metal shell. He hadn't found the right suit in time, but this one would do. "Mama Mia! That was a close one. But now...it's-a hammer time!" Leaping back to his feet, the spectators saw Mario in all the glory of his Hammer Bros. suit. Actually, he looked somewhat like a gigantic iron turd. But appearances aside, Mario knew the power of the suit. Producing two hammers out of nowhere, he held one high in each hand, whirling in his hands before chucking them at his opponent with excellent precision and accuracy. Shadow dodged the rapidly spinning hammers, hearing them clang loudly as they continually hit the ground where he had just been standing. What had at first been a few projectiles had rapidly turned into a veritable hailstorm of the things. He darted between them but remained unable to get anywhere near his tool-tossing enemy. Now I see. His power is incredible, but it's so....'kiddy'! And didn't I already do this dodging bit? This is no time to hold back, I've got to finish it no-Ouch! A hammer had hit him square between the eyes. Retreating rapidly and cursing in pain, Shadow devised a last ditch strategy. In a trice, he had raced towards the beginning of the long spiral surrounding the center platform. He ran quickly around it again and again, climbing towards the top and eventually out of the range of Mario's hammers. The dismayed plumber looked at the long pathway he now had to climb to reach his opponent. He certainly hadn't counted on this much running during the fight, and was beginning to regret eating those extra meatballs before the match. But Shadow had no intention of letting Mario come attack him. Reaching the very top of the tower, he glanced around him momentarily. Now at the level of the highest seats in the arena, the enemy below him was little more then a speck of fucia. Raising one hand above his head, Shadow called upon the power of his emerald for one final time. The green gem sparkled, and a jade glow began to encompass his entire body. The glow became blindingly bright, forcing Mario to avert his eyes below. It reached its zenith, and the dark hedgehog expelled the stored energy. "Chaos Spear!" Bursts of lightning pulsed from Shadow and rained down on the arena floor. Mario was unprepared for the incoming blasts. He could hear the cackle of the lightning as he dived, barely escaping the attack and losing his hat in the process. Glaring down at his helpless enemy, the hedgehog shifted his position slightly and redirected his attack. If I dispersed the lighting enough, I could easily hit him...but then I might injure other innocents as well. That is a chance I have no right to take. Mario was doing a rather odd dance below, jumping from side to side whilst once again rummaging through his suspenders. Several near misses terrified the plumber, who realized that even one of the powerful blasts could electrocute him. Clearly, running up the spiral now was suicide. There had to be some other way to get up there, such as... "I've-a got it!" He exclaimed in triumph, pulling out his dark brown Tanooki suit. Quickly donning it, the feel of the raccoon ears and tail brought back ancient, familiar memories. But this was no time to reminisce. Mario began to run forward, and felt the wind beneath him pick up. Swerving to avoid one well aimed blast from Shadow's attack, he heard the wind turn into a high pitched whistle, and leaped high into the air. The buoyant force caught underneath him as he flapped his tail, sending him soaring into the air above the arena floor. Now that he was in midair, Mario finally felt that he had the advantage. Shadow, in a panic, had quickly redirected his blasts yet again, trying to anticipate the flight path of the tenacious tanooki. But Mario brushed off these attempts, using his expert maneuverability to slide by one bolt, then completely flip over to avoid another. Now only feet away from the hedgehog's position, he twisted his body while gliding in, and quickly unleashed a rapid spin. The tail of the tanooki suit whipped around with incredible power, smacking the shocked hedgehog in the gut. He was knocked back and slid several feet towards the edge of the platform. About to fall off, he made a desperate grab for the edge, and gave a startled cry as the verdant emerald he had held throughout the match slipped from his hand and fell down the tower. As Shadow himself lost his grip and followed the emerald towards the ground, he resigned himself to his fate. With no chaos emerald, he could no longer teleport to safety. I am...the ultimate life form. Maria...I haven't forgotten my promise. He hit the ground of the arena floor, and all went black. Aftermath: "The Shadow Falls" The veteran hero had proven that he deserved his status a second time, once again living up to his fame. Mario was quite pleased with himself. It had been a challenging battle for him, and he'd managed to win against a tough opponent. He raced out of the arena, trying to find someone to share in his enthusiasm. Luigi... well, Luigi had left, he might not get to see him for a while. Yoshi... Yoshi had left too. He had never been much for conversation anyway, but was an agreeable companion. That only left Bowser-and the two of them weren't exactly on speaking terms these days. Having a history together that had lasted nearly their whole lives could do that to you. Depending upon the stories you believed, the two had hated each other even as infants. Mario tossed his cap up into the air, and caught it with a flourish. He felt like literally jumping off the walls, but there was no one to talk to. He scratched his brown mat of hair. Was he forgetting anyone? But then, the answer hit him-Donkey Kong! In fact, his friend had literally hit him-while he was thinking, the ape had plowed an overenthusiastic fist into Mario's side. Mario managed to avoid staggering from the blow, and looked around, then up, at his friend. "It's-a you, Donkey Kong!" The ape and him had had their differences way back in the past, but they had become solid friends, enjoying each other's company-having played a wide variety of games together. Even if Donkey Kong didn't quite know his own strength. Mario enthusiastically filled the monkey in on his experiences in the match, and Donkey Kong grunted agreeably. He had of course, witnessed the match already, but there was no dampening Mario's enthusiasm. "I-a beat that little hedgehog! Unlike-a Wario! Guess-a you know who the better plumber is? You don't-a mess with the originals!" The ape nodded agreeably, and the two of them kept walking. None of Mario's friends but Donkey Kong had made the cut last year, and then the two of them had had to fight. The plumber was grateful for the company he had left, even as it dwindled down. It gave him something more to fight for if he knew he had someone cheering him on. He could pull a solo act, but he loved to have someone rooting for him. ---- Some days it just wasn't worth waking up in the morning. And that often applied to the mid to late afternooon as well. Shadow had returned from his unconscious state to find that he had lost the battle. He had beaten one stupid, fat plumber only to lose to another. What, am I supposed to learn how to fight mechanics next? Cable repairmen? Shadow paused for a second, wondering what a cable repairman was. Being among a group of cross-dimensional rejects did that to you, he was disoriented. I might as well be going back anyway, I've spent enough time with these fools. Mario must just have gotten lucky anyway-there's no way he should have been able to defeat me. Shadow was sitting on a grassy hill, preparing himself to go back into the portal that led to his world. The turf around him showed signs of wear and tear due to the contestant's recreation. He could even see the path where he, Sonic, and Knuckles had chased down Zelda. But all Shadow had to show for his time in the tournament was one win... and one chaos emerald. Immediately after his match had ended, he had scoured the ground for it, and he had recovered his prize-it had chosen to roll under one of the platforms near the middle, deserting him at his worst moment. Unlike some weaklings, however, I do not have to use its power as a crutch... perhaps it is better this way. Speaking of weaklings, Sonic and Knuckles were approaching none too subtly. Sonic was running towards him, and Knuckles was trying to stroll more casually. Shadow snorted. Neither Sonic's speed nor Knuckles's restraint had impressed him much. If he couldn't win, neither of them deserved to. Sonic skidded to a halt and plopped down beside him. Shadow braced himself for another annoying nickname... but none came. Sonic was surprisingly silent for once... but Shadow remembered Sonic's last match. He should very well be silent. He has no right to criticize me for losing, when he gave up his ability to win fairly. But Sonic held his tongue and simply stared off into the distance. "You did a good job out there." Shadow snorted again. "It should have been a better job." He felt a gloved hand on his shoulder. Knuckles had finally reached him, and was offering his thoughts. "No, you did your best. You can still learn from it. Mario's a tough opponent, he nearly won last year." Shadow rolled his eyes. The two of them were trying to offer him pity. He didn't need their help. He didn't need anything from them... other than the emeralds. Shadow's eyes narrowed. So that's what this is about... "What do you want?" Shadow said curtly. Knuckles sighed. "I guess you already know. There's a good chance the emeralds will have to stay here-they belong to this realm. You should be thinking about what you want to do with yours." The echidna seemed to be speaking sincerely. Shadow did not wish to be tricked, however. "Why do you care, guardian? Do you really think you can win, with or without them?" Knuckles shook his head. "That doesn't matter, and that's not why I'm in this tournament. Shadow..." Sonic interrupted him. "Please, Shadow. You saw what happened to the girl when she got an emerald. They weren't meant to use this kind of power... like we are." Well, that was rather unlike Sonic, being capable of worry. Shadow found it a disappointment. His match must have shaken him up more than Shadow had thought. Knuckles spoke again. "And we can't risk any more of the emeralds falling into the wrong hands. Bowser may already have one... and I think we both know where the last one is." Shadow smiled at Sonic's puzzled look. It looked like the two still weren't solid friends, despite their attachment. He weighed Knuckles's words. He may have a chance to influence the tournament even after he left... and why not let one of his own kind be helped, rather than a lower form of life. Shadow had made up his mind. He tossed the emerald into Knuckles's hands, and began to slink away, not even looking back. "Guardian... Knuckles... you may protect this. See that its power is not abused." He stopped and turned back to look at Sonic. "By anyone." Shadow continued to walk away, turning his back to them. He imagined Knuckles nodding, and heard his voice. "Thank you." Sonic grabbed Knuckles's arm after Shadow left. "This totally isn't fair! You have three and I only have one!" Knuckles started to speak, but Sonic spoke up fast-just like he did everything else. "Look, I'm gonna find the rest until we're even. Bye!" The blue blur sped off into the distance. Knuckles shook his head. The hedgehog was far less cautious than Knuckles would have liked, but he probably couldn't do any harm trying to get the others. Knuckles heard the portal blip off in the distance, the futuristic sound marking Shadow's departure. One more battle done... and only three left until Knuckles's own match. Next Entry Back |